Piercing Ears

[Kfamr]

I would personally wait until the child is old enough to decide of she wants them done or not. Then it would be a "gift" or "prize" when she's gotten good grades, behaved well, turned 13, 14, 15 etc.

I'm 20 and have never gotten my ears pierced and don't plan on it. I'm glad my parents never got it done when I was a baby.

[Logan]

You asked for our opinion and mine is "No". Let her decide to do it when she wants to. Obviously you aren't going to have a problem if she is 4 or 14, since you're willing to do it now.

I think I had mine pierced at 13. I don't remember asking to have them done before that. I sort of held 13 as the age that I would allow Helen to have hers pierced, but ended up caving in when she was 6. But, it came in handy as a trade off with her. She continually got up during the night and got in the bed with me and did the same thing when she was visiting her dad and stepmother. He and I agreed that she could do it, but she had to go one whole month without leaving her own bed at night. And she did it! So she got her ears pierced. I have held firmly on no more piercings in the ears until she is over 18 and can decide for herself, then. I did allow her to have her belly button pierced this past November, though. I required her to pay for it herself.

[critter crazy]

The thing that I dont like about getting ears pierced at a young age, is Allergy problems. I got my ears pierced at a young age, only to have a horrible allergy to Earings. Then for some reason they were pierced again when I was a little older, and the same thing happened. At the age of 30 now I have two holes in each ear, I can do nothing with.

[Pam]

Instead of making all the decisions for kids, it's great for them to learn decision making skills. When she asks about it, you can tell her the decision is up to her. And that all you insist upon is that it be done by a qualified person and that you be there when it's done. Then, it could be a lovely memory of the 2 of you going together, getting it done and picking out earings.

Totally agree with that!

[binka_nugget]

Contrary to what most people think, you're actually better off going to a real piercing shop instead of getting someone to use a piercing "gun". If you can't autoclave it, it's not truly sterile. Piercing guns can't be put into the autoclave because they would melt. The earrings used in piercing guns are fairly blunt and cause more trama than a clean slice with a sterile needle. Also, the standard for good piercing shops is surgical stainless steel 316LVM. There's a less likely chance that your body will react to it like some people react to gold plated earrings. There's also the option of using Titanium, which is lighter and more readily accepted by the body.

I say this as someone who has had experiences with both piercing guns and needles, and was serious about becoming a professional piercer. I didn't mean to bash anyone.

[Karen]

The thing that I dont like about getting ears pierced at a young age, is Allergy problems. I got my ears pierced at a young age, only to have a horrible allergy to Earings. Then for some reason they were pierced again when I was a little older, and the same thing happened. At the age of 30 now I have two holes in each ear, I can do nothing with.

I doubt it had anything to do with your age. I never had mine pierced, as my grandmother had metal allergies and had big trouble with her ears when she tried to pierce them, and also I usually have my hair long and it covers my ears anyway. My grandmother was a teenager when she first tried earrings.

Anyway, if you want to try again, try using just 24 carat gold earring posts. There is a brand called Simply Whispers that you can get that just the posts are coated in 24-carat gold, and folks don't have allergic reactions to them. It is often the nickle in earring posts that cause people problems.

[lizbud]

I would not have my babies ears pierced & would also wait till she was
older & decided on her own to ask for it, but that's me. I just think
that piercing a baby's ears is like "gilding the rose". They are already
gorgeous just the way they are.

[Catlady711]

I guess I can see both sides of it as well.

I wanted my ears pierced when I was 12 but it took 2 years before I could get the courage to have it done.

However...

My mom does not want her ears pierced, and has very adamantly stated that had her parents done that to her when she was a baby she would have been angry for a VERY long time. She said it's not up to someone else to decide whether another person should have permanent holes in their body without having a choice in the matter.

As I said I can see it both ways.

[critter crazy]

I doubt it had anything to do with your age. I never had mine pierced, as my grandmother had metal allergies and had big trouble with her ears when she tried to pierce them, and also I usually have my hair long and it covers my ears anyway. My grandmother was a teenager when she first tried earrings.

Anyway, if you want to try again, try using just 24 carat gold earring posts. There is a brand called Simply Whispers that you can get that just the posts are coated in 24-carat gold, and folks don't have allergic reactions to them. It is often the nickle in earring posts that cause people problems.

I dont mean the age was the issue, all I am saying is that had I had a choice I wouldnt have done it, and I definitely wouldnt have done it twice. Also, being done at a young age and not having a choice, I now have holes in my body, I dont like. Thats all I am saying.

I have tried 24k earings, as well as 18 k and 10 k and ect...nothing works. They just get infected, and swollen and bleed. I dont like it, and they have long since closed up anyways. but theya re still there, and annoy me realy.

I just think, when it comes to a permanent hole in ones body, it should be up to that person, not their parents.

[carole]

I have to say i agree with you 100 per cent, however our parents make lots of choices in our lives for us whether we like it or not,i am sure if she is unhappy with them when she is older they will hear about it and LOUDLY lol.

[slick]

I had my ears pierced for my 40th birthday....yes, I said 4-0 th birthday.

I was so petrified that I had my two nieces with me on either side holding my hands and I was sick to my stomach for days before. Both ears were done at the same time and when it was over I was so surprised that I felt no pain. Yes, I'm a little cluck-cluck, aren't I???

[Sevaede]

I am on the fence. Mine were done, for the first time, when I was six weeks old.

Oh, and the holes are not permanent. They do close. The amount of time it takes the holes to close is dependent upon how long you've had the given piercing.

[Catsnclay]

She was so excited to see her earrings in that she practically was skipping when she left.

Well, unnoticed by Rachel, lurking outside the corner of the booth were three guys, all over 6 feet tall, and one turned to other - the one most obviously 'drunk for courage' and said "Man, now you GOTTA do it! That little girl just shamed you into it!" He had apparently been wanting to get an earring for so long that his friends said they were sick of him talking about it, and it was time to do it!

LOL - men can be such chickens sometimes!!!


I had my ears done when I was 13. My mother's friend took an ice cube, froze my lobe then took a large needle (crochet? or something like that) and pushed it through to a cork. Did both my ears that way - it was painless. It was not the most sterile way to do it, but I never got infections.

Years later I got another hole in my left ear by one of those guns. Then several years later I finally matched the right ear with a 2nd hole (gun again) I have never had an infection yet!

[critter crazy]

I am on the fence. Mine were done, for the first time, when I was six weeks old.

Oh, and the holes are not permanent. They do close. The amount of time it takes the holes to close is dependent upon how long you've had the given piercing.

Well mine wont close permanently, cause they keep getting infected, even tho I havent had earings for many years. They were pierced for the forst time when I was a baby, then a second set of holes were put in when I was five. Even the doctors arent sure why they keep getting infected. But they do, and I have to live with it.

But even so, if the holes do close, you can still see them.

[pitc9]

Karen that story is great!!!

I personally cringe when I see a baby with pierce ears. I think the child should make that decision on their own.

Shortly before making my first communion (age 8) my mom asked if I wanted to have my ears pierced. I said yes!